TOY RECALL: Lead Paint Scare. Is There An Alternative To Chinese Products?
August 6, 2007 2:27 am Safe Kids, Toyland|
A Hidden Danger Revealed I’m sure by now most parents have heard of the recall of close to a million Fisher-Price toys sold in the U.S. between May and August 2007. The toys were made by a Chinese vendor and included popular Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer characters.Since my daughter is a big fan of Sesame Street I was pretty scared when I heard the news. I know lead cannot be absorbed through the skin. Only prolonged exposure by chewing and sucking is risky to a child’s health and the actual lead poisoning occurs when toxic levels build up in the body but do we really want to take any chances? Since the recall, I have been closely watching the news and what I have learned is both scary and remarkable. Lead paint in toys have been banned in the U.S. Since 1978 and China has long been aware that the use of lead paint in children’s toys is prohibited in United States. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the agency with 100 field inspectors, struggles against constant Chinese violations of safety standards. 80% of all the toys in the U.S. come from China and since October 2006 of the 306 recalls of products, 100% of the recalled toys were made in China. Additionally, I learned that there is no ban on lead content in children’s jewelery. Since 2004 the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled 165 million pieces of jewelry with lead that could leak out. The most remarkable thing is that the Chinese government is trying to convince the U.S. that the ban on lead content is not necessary because there is no danger unless the products get damaged or cracked and the lead leaks out!!! On top of everything the U.S. District Attorney’s Office claims that the Chinese safety standards are as high the U.S. Standards. What Can You Do? The question I cannot help ask is how can we trust these products ever again and do we really need to flood our homes with toys that potentially put our children’s health at risk? As parents we must assure the safety of our children since we are the ones handing the toys to our babies. I found plenty of companies that make wonderful, environmentally friendly and safe toys that I think are worth looking into. They are not only safe for our kids health and development but also teach them about sustainability and encourage creativity and active learning. Check these out yourself and let me know what you think. Finally, if you suspect that your child may have been injured by the toys, please immediately call the CPSC hotline at 800-638-2772. Mattel has its own recall hotline: (800) 916-4498. In case there are questions about the recalled toys, here is the list, including their product number. Please keep in mind that the recalled toys were sold separately or as parts of sets. All of the toys are marked with “Fisher-Price.” To see pictures of the recalled toys, look here. You can also test any products you have or surfaces in your home for lead right at home with this simple kit: Owners of a recalled toy can exchange it for a voucher for another product of the same value. 33662 Elmo Light Up Musical Pal |
